Dan Hodges is a former Labour Party and GMB trade union official, and has managed numerous independent political campaigns. He writes about Labour with tribal loyalty and without reservation. You can read Dan's recent work here

The middle-aged unemployed are being slowly crushed between Government cuts and Labour complacency

Yesterday’s cold, sparse unemployment figures had a human face. Michael Taylor, an unemployed teacher, appeared on the BBC 10 O’Clock News and spoke in uncompromising terms of what it meant for him to be among the ranks of Britain’s 2.67 million jobless. His voice cracking, Mr Taylor spoke of being “humiliated”. “I feel like it’s my fault”, he said.

I don’t know Michael Taylor’s personal circumstances, or whether there’s truth in his argument that in his North West community, jobs simply aren’t available for those who want them. But he appeared sincere enough. Painfully so.

He was followed by the Prime Minister, who offered his ritual cold comfort. The jobless figures were “disappointing”, but the number of people actually in work was rising, as were the number of job vacancies. He, David Cameron, would be “rolling up his sleeves” to get Britain back to work. Though he appeared to be wearing a very nice suit jacket when he said it.

Next it was Ed Miliband’s turn. The Government was guilty of “dangerous complacency”, he chided. Then he switched on the autopilot. It was time to tax the bankers. It was a “tragedy that so many young people are out of work in this country”. David Cameron should come and meet the young people he, Ed, was meeting. Though you could already tell Ed was meeting young people; he’d been careful to take his own jacket off.

I thought about what Ed Miliband had said. And then I thought again about Michael Taylor. Then I went and had a more detailed look at Labour’s response to the unemployment figures.

Cathy Jamieson, the party’s shadow economic secretary, had sent out a press release highlighting how the "million-plus young people now out of work can't afford to wait on the dole for years on end as they see their life chances scarred.” Yvette Cooper, in her role as shadow minister for women and equalities, had issued her own press release explaining that “Women are being heavily hit by the Government's economic policies.”

There was another statement from Ed Miliband: “A further rise in youth unemployment is a particular concern… instead of this dangerous complacency, the Government should be providing real hope to young people.” Shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne raised the spectre of “a jobless generation, with more young people out of work than ever before.”

Powerful stuff. Especially if you're a woman, or part of Britain’s “jilted generation”. But what if you’re an unemployed, middle aged man, like Michael Taylor? Who is out there speaking for you?

Certainly not the Government. Ministers long ago dropped the pretence that we’re all in this together. And though none will be stupid enough to be caught saying it on camera, they regard the best part of three million unemployed as a price worth paying to pay down Britain’s debt. When the credit agencies spoke, George Osborne was quickly on the airwaves, warning: “It's yet another reminder that Britain doesn't have some easy route out of the economic problems that have accumulated over the past decade. It's got to confront those problems head-on, and that's precisely what I intend to do.” When the teacher from Salford spoke, George Osborne remained silent.

Labour is at least trying to focus on the human cost of the Government’s austerity measures. But its responses smack of the very complacency it levels at the coalition. “Have we done young people? Yes. Tick.” “Have we done the women. Yes. You sure? Don’t want Harriet or Yvette on to me. Tick.”

There is obviously a serious issue with youth unemployment. But there is an equally chronic problem with joblessness amongst the middle-aged. For one, the middle-aged are more likely to bear the burden of family responsibility. Youth will always have an attraction in a labour market increasingly being constructed around the holy grail of "flexibility", and a burgeoning "service" sector where skills and experience are at less of a premium than in the past. And, as we saw last night, there is a generational stigma to being unable to provide for yourself, and others. I have yet to see an unemployed teenager blaming themselves for their plight on national television.

It’s equally correct that Labour should raise the probem of the increasing number of women being forced onto the dole queues. But although the gap is narrowing, unemployment amongst men remains higher than amongst women. And whilst David Cameron is perceived to have a “woman problem” Ed Miliband has a “man problem”. The most recent YouGov poll found Miliband’s negatives among men to be minus 52, compared to minus 34 amongst women.

Labour is happy to fly the flag for our neglected youth. Similarly the growing number of women who are joining the dole queue. And that’s how it should be. But just for once, why doesn’t it try speaking out for people like Michael Taylor. Unfashionable though it may seem, there are quite a few middle-aged men out there in need of a voice. And if they’re serious about standing up for the “squeezed middle”, Ed Miliband and his party should be providing it.